Your Favorie Teams... Why?

[Western Michigan]

While looking at people's signatures (no one in particular), I started wondering why people liked those teams. What's the attachment? Especially when I saw teams from all over different parts of the country on the same signature.

I'll start off with the reason I like my favorite teams, and show them off in my signature.

1. Western Michigan - I live 10 minutes from campus, and attend every single home basketball game, and some away games. I've been following WMU Hoops for as long as I can remember. Since 2005, I have probably missed about only four home games. I usually go to every football game as well, but recently I've lost interest in the sport completely.

2. Arizona Diamondbacks - The Dbacks have been my MLB team since about 2000. I was really young, and bought a Diamondbacks hat because I liked the colors. I have a World Series Champions sweatshirt from '01 that is really small now. There's a Sports Cards store close to where I live and I used to go in and try to find the Diamondbacks players. I still have over 200 Dbacks cards in my closet somewhere. As I got older and started to pay more attention to the game, I started to follow the Dbacks more and more. Last year, I got to go out to Arizona to catch four games. Hopefully I will do the same this year. I've been trying to watch every single Dbacks game on MLB.tv this year. So far I've watched 18 of 27 games this season.

3. Arizona State - I don't follow the Sun Devils very closely, but for the past couple of years, ASU has been the college that I wish to attend. It would be very ideal if I could walk-on to the baseball team, but since they're top in the nation every year, the chances of that happening is laughable. I want to go into sports journalism, and/or sports broadcasting.

4. Phoenix Suns - I don't follow the NBA closely, but lately I've been following the Suns. I was in Phoenix this past December, and got to go to a Suns game. I like to pay attention to all of the teams in Phoenix.

5. Cal State Fullerton Titans - I started liking the Titans as I watched them win the College World Series in 2004 with Kurt Suzuki (A's), Justin Turner (Mets), and Ricky Romero (Jays). I found myself rooting for them again the next few College World Series. I've followed their journey to Omaha closely for the past four years. My favorite player was Wes Roemer (2007), and he was drafted by the Diamondbacks. The Dbacks do a short segment on their minor league prospects during some of their games, and it was nice to see that Roemer was featured as one of the best pitchers on their Double-A team, the Mobile Bay Bears.

One player from last year's team that you should all get familiar with his name, is Christian Colon, a shortstop. He's in the Royals organization now (AA Northwest Arkansas), and I want to be able to say "I told you so" when he's an everyday starter in the show.

If you saw me in public, it'd be a very good chance that I'd be wearing either a WMU, Dbacks, or ASU shirt. I look down right now and realize I'm wearing a WMU shirt.

I'm a fan of mid-major schools, so that's a big reason why I love WMU instead of U of Michigan or Michigan State. I should have included the MAC in my signature, as I am a very strong supporter of all MAC schools. Well... all MAC schools except Akron, Kent State, and Central Michigan. I want those teams to lose every single game they ever play. No offense if you're fans of those teams... I hope we can still be friends...

I hate schools, and teams for that matter, with an enormous budget.

I don't like rooting for the same teams as lots of people around me, so that's why there is no Lions, Tigers, or Red Wings in the mix. It's nice to like the Arizona teams because everywhere I go (except Arizona, of course) I'm the only one with Dbacks gear. I do see a lot of ASU gear all over, though, but not very often.

So that's the reasoning behind why I like my favorite teams. I want to hear all of yours now!

[Brave-Bird 08]

Well, I think I've been pretty open to the fact I'm just a flat out loyal Atlanta fan, and I share an equal amount of enthusiasm for the Falcons, Braves, and Hawks. I attend Kennesaw State University, nicknamed the Owls, thus my forum name being Brave-Bird

But, I'm a die hard Georgia Bulldogs fan. Football obviously is my biggest passion, but if I need to explain my signature: I might put my enthusiasm for UGA basketball against any other UGA fan. I love following college hoops...and have endured Georgia's suckiness for the past decade...so this season (21-11) was awesome. I'm depressed Travis Leslie and Trey Thompkins are leaving for the NBA...so I'm living in the past and refusing to remove my sig....kind of...

...actually I should probably get around to changing it to a Braves one.

[McCall]

As most expect, I have a heavy supply of Missouri teams listed:

- St. Louis Cardinals

- Mizzou Tigers

- St. Louis Rams

- Southeast Missouri State Redhawks

Missouri State Bears (have family connections to both schools, so I'm kind of equal on them)

- Atlanta Braves (grew up watching them on TBS)

-

St. Louis Blues

Since the retirement of Jordan in 1998, I haven't been that much into the NBA. This year I watched it some more, but don't necessarily have a "favorite" team, although I'd probably be willing to designate the Spurs (I've loved watching them even when Jordan was still playing. David Robinson is my favorite center of all time.) So here's my "committee" of NBA teams

- Spurs

- Bulls

- Celtics

- Thunder

- Grizzlies (have a lot of family in and around Memphis and grew up visiting there a lot)

[CS85]

Bears - I happened to start paying attention to a Bears/Lions game on Thanksgiving about 12 years ago or so. I was hooked from there.

Cubs - my parents and family are 100% cub fans and I just sort of inherited it I guess.

Illini - see Cubs

Blackhawks - my uncle is a diehard hawks fan and is one of the coolest people I know, so as a kid getting to watch the blackhawks games was awesome since it was basically only us 2 that cared, everyone else in the family is indifferent to hockey.

[tBBP]

Tampa Bay Buccaneers...I'm a Florida boy, born & raised...I'm also a football fanatic, hence the screen name. That my cuz used to play for them was just an added bonus.

Florida State Seminoles...again, Florida boy thang. (Actually, as a young'n I preferred FSU's colors to the Gators, plus Tallahassee's closer to Pensacola than Gainesville is.) And again, that my cuz used to play for them (along with several other people I've known) was just an added bonus.

Argentinian National Team...was the first team I can remember watching on TV back when I used to play soccer as a kid in middle school. Still watch them to this day, when/if I get the chance.

Philadelphia Union...adopted them last season. Love the team's brand/identity, decided to roll with it.

[Western Michigan]

Well, I think I've been pretty open to the fact I'm just a flat out loyal Atlanta fan, and I share an equal amount of enthusiasm for the Falcons, Braves, and Hawks. I attend Kennesaw State University, nicknamed the Owls, thus my forum name being Brave-Bird

But, I'm a die hard Georgia Bulldogs fan. Football obviously is my biggest passion, but if I need to explain my signature: I might put my enthusiasm for UGA basketball against any other UGA fan. I love following college hoops...and have endured Georgia's suckiness for the past decade...so this season (21-11) was awesome. I'm depressed Travis Leslie and Trey Thompkins are leaving for the NBA...so I'm living in the past and refusing to remove my sig....kind of...

...actually I should probably get around to changing it to a Braves one.

Ah the Owls of Kennesaw State! In the 2010 season I watched my WMU Broncos take on the Owls. That one was a pretty close game, WMU had to come back late to win it. I like that you're loyal to Atlanta. I like to see people root for all the teams in a city.

I hate it when players leave early. That's the thing I like about mid-majors. This IS their NBA, and they leave everything on the court. Big time names can basically just "whatever" their college season, because they're going to be NBA bound anyways.

[DelayedPenalty]

Toronto Maple Leafs: I grew up halfway between Toronto and Detroit, near London, ON. Back in those days Toronto and Detroit were both Western Conference teams. The town was pretty much divided into Maple Leafs fans and Red Wings fans. I grew up with a Montreal Canadiens fan for a father, and until I was old enough to think for myself I was a Habs "fan". About the time I started playing hockey (age 10) I really started following hockey. I loved Doug Gilmour and Mats Sundin, so I gravitated to the Maple Leafs. Street hockey games were always Leafs vs. Wings/Habs (both red so they got lumped together). This explains my favorite team, and my strong hatred of the Red Wings!

Toronto Blue Jays: I went to my first baseball game during the preseason of the 1992 season. That season the Jays won their first of two World Series. I was hooked!

London Knights (OHL): Like I said, I grew up near London. I spent more weekends than I can count at the old London Garden/Ice House watching the Knights. The purple and teal became one of my favorite color combinations. I even had my Mom make me a pair of plaid flanel pants in teal and purple (anyone else remember the flanel pant craze?). I remember watching players like Tom Kostopolous, Rico Fata, Gene Chiarello, Jay Legault, Maxim Spirodonov, guys that I loved that didn't amount to very successful pro careers. The 1998-99 playoffs elevated my love of OHL hockey to epic heights. I was at every home game for the Conference Semifinals where the 5th ranked Knights took the #1 ranked Whalers to 7 games in one of the wildest back and forth series I've ever seen. I moved to Ann Arbor, MI when I was 14. The Plymouth Whalers play 20 minutes from here, so I continued to follow the league and my Knights.

[Western Michigan]

As most expect, I have a heavy supply of Missouri teams listed:

- St. Louis Cardinals

- Mizzou Tigers

- St. Louis Rams

- Southeast Missouri State Redhawks

Missouri State Bears (have family connections to both schools, so I'm kind of equal on them)

- Atlanta Braves (grew up watching them on TBS)

-

St. Louis Blues

Since the retirement of Jordan in 1998, I haven't been that much into the NBA. This year I watched it some more, but don't necessarily have a "favorite" team, although I'd probably be willing to designate the Spurs (I've loved watching them even when Jordan was still playing. David Robinson is my favorite center of all time.) So here's my "committee" of NBA teams

- Spurs

- Bulls

- Celtics

- Thunder

- Grizzlies (have a lot of family in and around Memphis and grew up visiting there a lot)

I like to see that you root for the bulk of the Missouri teams. I love watching the Braves on TBS. That's how I watched the Randy Johnson perfect game against the Braves in (I think) 2003.

I'm totally with you on not being into the NBA since the 90's. My ringtone is the NBA on NBC theme, and it takes me back to when the NBA was cool.

[epper]

Simple. I'm a true homer. I support the teams closest to me.

Jays and Raptors (about 60 miles away in Toronto)

Bills and Sabres (35 miles from Buffalo)

I also support the German National soccer team, as 2 of my grandparents were born there and 4 have roots there.

[Western Michigan]

Bears - I happened to start paying attention to a Bears/Lions game on Thanksgiving about 12 years ago or so. I was hooked from there.

Cubs - my parents and family are 100% cub fans and I just sort of inherited it I guess.

Illini - see Cubs

Blackhawks - my uncle is a diehard hawks fan and is one of the coolest people I know, so as a kid getting to watch the blackhawks games was awesome since it was basically only us 2 that cared, everyone else in the family is indifferent to hockey.

Aha, an Illinois faithful. I like it when people root for the teams in their area. I have a shirt from 2008 when WMU beat Illinois at Ford Field in football.

[Rockstar Matt]

My favorite team of all-time is the Dallas Cowboys. I'll make sure I'm able to watch them play at all costs. I've rescheduled dates with my girlfriend (both previous and present) to watch them. Cancelled band practice, I even once tried to miss a wedding when I was little, but my mom wouldn't have it.

They're my favorite team because they're my dad's favorite team. He's always been a huge football fan, but it's nothing to how much I avidly follow the Cowboys, and the NFL. I wasn't like most kids in that, when I was really little, I preferred to watch sports over cartoons. So that's how I ended up a Cowboys fan growing up in a Los Angeles suburb. But, I love this team with a undying passion and I'll always be there watching every single game, supporting them like a nutter for the rest of my life. My love of them has never wavered. My years growing up, the Cowboys I remember are Campo's Cowboys, or the '98 Cowboys who lost to Arizona at home in a playoff game. I've been made fun of for being a Cowboys fan when the sucked and when everyone else was an Eagles, Pats, Colts, Falcons or Steelers fan, but I'll always love them. No matter what.

2. Los Angeles Lakers. My mom grew up in Harbor City/Wilmington/Lomita in the projects, and has always been a Lakers fan. She used own season tickets during the height of the Showtime era. My dad never cared before basketball before my mom, and so he rooted for the Lakers as well. And since I was such a sports-loving kid, I naturally rooted for them. I bleed purple & gold.

3. Oakland Raiders. They're my mom's favorite team. And my 2nd favorite in the NFL. I want them to win every game except when they play the Cowboys...

4. USMNT. Growing up, my two best friends were big soccer fans and loved to play it. Because I hung out with them, I naturally became a fan of soccer because I was surrounded by it so much. Now, I love watching the US Men's team, and was throughly disappointed when we lost to Ghana. (And yes, I was screaming and yelling like crazy when we beat Algeria with Donovans' 90th minute goal.)

5. Newcastle United. Again, because of my friends, we'd play soccer video games. Now, I have my own copy of FIFA, I just took to liking Newcastle. I don't know why. But I'll always play as them, and watch them whenever I get a chance.

6. UCLA Bruins. Always preferred them to USC, and always rooted for them in any sport. I plan to transfer there when I complete my courses at my community college.

Tie for 7: Anaheim Ducks and Los Angeles Angels. I live in the heart of Kings/Dodgers country, but because of the Disney movies when I was little, I'll watch them occasionally, but I'm not that big of a fan of hockey or baseball. I prefer football, basketball and soccer over hockey/baseball.

[NEW.ERA]

1. Calgary Flames - I'm originally from Winnipeg but I am too young to remember the Jets. Went to my first game in 1998 the team wasn't very good then, I remember attending the Save the Flames rally, 2004 Cup Run may be the most ecstatic I have ever felt towards a sports team getting within one game of the Stanley Cup this city was just crazy that spring.

2. Green Bay Packers - First football game I ever watched was Super Bowl XXXI and just loved the jersey's and Brett Favre that entire team was just great and today I am a massive Packer fan and Super Bowl XLV was really the first sporting event I could celebrate I was 18.

3. Winnipeg Blue Bombers - Hometown team really got the love for them through my Dad, hopefully I'll be able to see a Grey Cup soon! 3 times since 1990 and 3 losses.

4. Newcastle United - I remember watching old videos of Alan Shearer during the Toon's hayday in the early to mid ninety's and from then just started following.

5. Alabama Crimson Tide Football - As I really don't have a tie to the school, I was in a sports store when I was 11 saw a hat with the Elephant and big BAMA script beneath it and I bought it, ever since just followed the team.

6. Minnesota Twins/Toronto Blue Jays - Toronto because they're Canadian and the Twins because Joe Mauer is my favorite player and I love cheering for small market teams.

[Western Michigan]

Tampa Bay Buccaneers...I'm a Florida boy, born & raised...I'm also a football fanatic, hence the screen name. That my cuz used to play for them was just an added bonus.

Florida State Seminoles...again, Florida boy thang. (Actually, as a young'n I preferred FSU's colors to the Gators, plus Tallahassee's closer to Pensacola than Gainesville is.) And again, that my cuz used to play for them (along with several other people I've known) was just an added bonus.

Argentinian National Team...was the first team I can remember watching on TV back when I used to play soccer as a kid in middle school. Still watch them to this day, when/if I get the chance.

Philadelphia Union...adopted them last season. Love the team's brand/identity, decided to roll with it.

That's cool that your cousin played for the Bucs! I just recently got to go see a Florida State baseball game against North Carolina. The atmosphere there is amazing. Completely different than anything up in the north. Great place to watch a ball game.

[JTernup]

3. Arizona State - I don't follow the Sun Devils very closely, but for the past couple of years, ASU has been the college that I wish to attend. It would be very ideal if I could walk-on to the baseball team, but since they're top in the nation every year, the chances of that happening is laughable. I want to go into sports journalism, and/or sports broadcasting.

That is awesome we just went to Phoenix during spring break for spring training and we fell in love with the area/campus and now my gf and i both want to go to ASU. My second choice for a major would be in sports journalism right behind Biology (ecology specifically). Baseball would also be the sport i would be interested in walking on too but that probably won't happen.

As for the other teams in my sig, Nuggets are my favorite team because i live in CO so yeah, no other reason. I always resisted the Rockies for some reason until midway through the 07 season when me and my dad got to go on the field and meet Todd Helton, the end of that season with the world series helped cement my love of the rox. I have been a chiefs fan for longer than i can even remember but i have just always naturally hated the Broncos and loved the Chiefs. The Sharks have been my favorite hockey team since after the lockout when i started to get interested in hockey a little bit, I just liked them at first because a shark was my favorite animal but now i am a dedicated sharks fan.

[msufan8]

Michigan State

The team I have supported since birth. I have always been loyal to this team through good years(2001-basketball) and bad (football pretty much every year of my life except the last couple). I was born into a spartan family. A member of every generation of my family has attended State since it opened in 1855.

Go Green!

Central Michigan

The school I currently attend. I wasn't always a fan, but my loyalties belong to the Chippewas now. This fall is going to be tough to see them take on MSU(we host them in 2012 ). We are the heated rivals of Western Michigan.

Detroit Pro Sports

Lions, Tigers, Redwings, and Pistons. I have always been a fan of my home teams, and I always will. When the Lions when a Super Bowl, when I am like 90, I will be able to say that I am a real fan. I am even active in trying to rally support to get Detroit a MLS team. I love that city, and I love the State of Michigan.

Liverpool FC

A team I honestly didn't know about until 2004 or so, but a team I fell in love with. The best fans in the world in any sport IMO. I will always support the reds. Watching them as a casual fan turned me into a soccer die-hard.

[Sport]

I won't bore you with the details other than I'm originally from Cincinnati, and have lived in Columbus since 1993. The Reds were my first love and something about them feels so comfortable, but the Blue Jackets have taken over as my favorite team in any sport. Nobody reads other posts in threads like this. Hockey is my favorite sport and as a hockey crazed 10 year old it felt like a gift from the heavens that an NHL team was coming to my sleepy little city. Three years later I was at the first game in franchise history and I was hooked. Even though they feel like they're run by a chimp and they've had exactly one playoff appearance and 0 playoff wins in ten years, I still love this team. They feel like they're all mine. I'm considering a CBJ tattoo.

As for the NBA, I've never had a team until recently. I always expected to become a Cavs fan, but their teams were so unappealing in the late 90's and by the time Lebron came along and everyone jumped on their bandwagon it just felt disingenuous for me to root for them. That, and the way Cleveland fans root for their teams is so annoying. I didn't feel like being associated with even one of their franchise even if its the state's only NBA team. Also, I'm really not a fan of the sport of basketball at all.

That said, if you follow me on Twitter you'd know that I recently attended my first NBA game and it was game 3 of the Nuggets-Thunder series in Denver. I was visiting some family/friends and my uncle took me to the game. I had a lot of fun and later watched games 4 and 5 from a bar in downtown Denver. That did more to endear me to the Nuggets than anything I've ever felt with the Cavs. So I guess I'm a Nuggets fan now. That means I gotta add them to the signature.

recap:

Cincinnati Reds/Bengals - from Cincinnati

Columbus Blue Jackets - from Columbus, went to first game, and over 100 since

Denver Nuggets - only NBA game I've ever been to

Ohio Bobcats - Alumnus

Ohio State Buckeyes - that's where my parents went to school, ie, the reason I'm alive.

[IceCap]

Toronto Maple Leafs/Toronto Blue Jays/Toronto Raptors/Toronto FC- They're the local Canadian teams. Pretty much it.

Hamilton Tiger-Cats- I'm from Kitchener, so I decided to support another small(er) southern Ontario city in the CFL instead of following the Toronto trend.

Kitchener Rangers- Again, from Kitchener. They're the closest thing I have to a true home town hockey team.

San Diego Chargers- My dad's family would vacation in San Diego in the winter, so he grew up as a Chargers fan, since they were the closest thing he had to a "hometown" NFL team. I just kind of adopted them from him.

UWO Mustangs- My alma mater.

Auburn Tigers- My sister goes there. It finally gives me a NCAA team I can cheer for, as I feel strange about cheering for university teams if I have no connection to the school.

[Magnus]

NHL: I support Philadelphia. After about 13 years of rooting for the Leafs with my dad, I decided I had had enough of their hopelessness. After they were eliminated by Philadelphia in 2003-04, I was glad that there was going to be a lockout because I was sick of how poorly they had played during my time as a fan.

I switched my allegiance to Philadelphia because:

1. I have ancestry in the Lancaster, PA region.

2. Without Bobby Clarke slashing Valeri Kharlamov in the 1972 Summit Series, the outcome would have been vastly different.

3. They sport my favourite colour scheme.

4. The current roster has a lot of players from small towns in Northern Ontario, where I live.

5. Brian Savage is from my home town.

6. They have the second-highest regular-season win percentage in the NHL next to Montreal (I cannot bring myself to root for MTL because of my English heritage).

7. Lauren Hart is carrying my lovechild (kidding).

NBA: I support the Raptors, as the only Canadian NBA team. I also support the Suns, as the team with the current best Canadian player and 2-time NBA MVP. I hardly watch any NBA, however.

MLB: I was a huge fan of the Blue Jays in their glory days. They were winning, and I was a little kid, so it was the best of times, sports-wise. Now, pretty much as long as the Yankees don't win the whole deal, I root for the team the Yankees are playing against.

NFL: I'm an anti-fan of New England and Pittsburgh; New England because of the Revolutionary Army that broke away from the British; Pittsburgh because they think they are the greatest team of all time and need to be shown differently. I have bounced around with which team I prefer in the NFL, but I don't really watch it all that often; mostly just the Superbowl. I have watched that every year since Rams-Pats in 2002. I have cheered for the following teams since then:

2002 Rams-Pats: Rams 2003 Raiders-Bucs: Raiders 2004 Panthers-Pats: Panthers 2005 Eagles-Pats: Eagles 2006 Seahawks-Steelers: Seahawks

2007 Colts-Bears: Colts 2008 Giants-Pats: Giants 2009 Cards-Steelers: Cardinals 2010 Saints-Colts: Saints 2011 Packers-Steelers: Packers.

By my count, that means I have picked a winner in 4 of the last 5 seasons. If I had to pick a favourite team, it would probably be the Pack. I like their business model, and I think more teams should adopt it.

CFL: Argonauts, bar none. They are the closest CFL team to Sudbury, and I have a deep admiration for the work that Pinball does for his community. I also have a shirt autographed by Pinner.

NLL: Toronto Rock. I watched during their glory days from 1999-2005.

OHL: Sudbury Wolves. They're the only hometown team, so I have to support them, no matter how pathetic they are. I still keep in contact with some ex-Wolves who I went to school with (Kevin Beech, Adam McQuaid).

OCAA men's basketball: Cambrian Golden Shield. It's my alma mater.

That's all I can think of for now.

[Jahgee]

New York Jets - My Grandpa is a Jets fan and we are the only ones in the family who care about football so I inherited his love for the Jets

New York Mets - Same as Jets except for it was my Grandma

Pittsburgh Penguins - My favorite animal is a Penguin, so it was natural

USC Trojans - My first football game was NCAA Football 07 (Reggie Bush was on the cover) and I liked their jerseys.

[Western Michigan]

Toronto Maple Leafs: I grew up halfway between Toronto and Detroit, near London, ON. Back in those days Toronto and Detroit were both Western Conference teams. The town was pretty much divided into Maple Leafs fans and Red Wings fans. I grew up with a Montreal Canadiens fan for a father, and until I was old enough to think for myself I was a Habs "fan". About the time I started playing hockey (age 10) I really started following hockey. I loved Doug Gilmour and Mats Sundin, so I gravitated to the Maple Leafs. Street hockey games were always Leafs vs. Wings/Habs (both red so they got lumped together). This explains my favorite team, and my strong hatred of the Red Wings!

Toronto Blue Jays: I went to my first baseball game during the preseason of the 1992 season. That season the Jays won their first of two World Series. I was hooked!

London Knights (OHL): Like I said, I grew up near London. I spent more weekends than I can count at the old London Garden/Ice House watching the Knights. The purple and teal became one of my favorite color combinations. I even had my Mom make me a pair of plaid flanel pants in teal and purple (anyone else remember the flanel pant craze?). I remember watching players like Tom Kostopolous, Rico Fata, Gene Chiarello, Jay Legault, Maxim Spirodonov, guys that I loved that didn't amount to very successful pro careers. The 1998-99 playoffs elevated my love of OHL hockey to epic heights. I was at every home game for the Conference Semifinals where the 5th ranked Knights took the #1 ranked Whalers to 7 games in one of the wildest back and forth series I've ever seen. I moved to Ann Arbor, MI when I was 14. The Plymouth Whalers play 20 minutes from here, so I continued to follow the league and my Knights.

That's a really cool background on all of your teams! Gotta love it when your teams makes it to the post-season. As a kid I always loved playing games and pretending to be players from teams, like you did with street hockey. I remember playing basketball on a Little Tikes 6-foot rim with my brother and my two cousins. It would always be the Bulls Vs. the Pistons. I was always Grant Hill on the Pistons, my cousin would be Lindsey Hunter. For the Bulls, they were always Jordan and Pippen. I miss the carelessness of childhood.

I'm headed to Ann Arbor in a little bit to watch my brother. He plays baseball for Michigan.